


I Think We Need to Talk

by ArtieSafari



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: Confession, Fluff, M/M, bench scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-19 03:08:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19348288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtieSafari/pseuds/ArtieSafari
Summary: The last time Cyrus saw TJ, the world was a blur. He had blown up at Kira outside the school after his theatre event and stormed off past TJ. He knows TJ heard everything he said, but he wasn't ready to face that yet.But at the end-of-the-year party at Andi's house, it's finally time to confront the truth.





	I Think We Need to Talk

_You know what, Kira? Just stop._

"I just... I don't know what to do. Do you think TJ hates me?"

"I don't think he's even capable of hating you," Buffy reassured me. We were outside by the fire pit, the sun long set beneath the horizon. The air was starting to chill, a gentle breeze grazing my skin. It was quiet - only the sounds of the faint party going on inside and the crackling of the fire pit warding off the silence.

_You already won. I'm done playing your stupid games._

"But I said a lot of really mean things to Kira. And I know I don't like her, but he clearly does."

"Well, even if he does, he likes you a whole lot more," she said, placing her hand on my knee.

"I really want to believe that," I said.

"Would you believe it if he said it?" she asked, gesturing her head behind the bench. TJ was walking towards us, his face completely unreadable.

_You've already got TJ. You got him to replace me with you._

"I'll leave you two alone," Buffy said, standing up and heading inside towards the rest of the party. She exchanged a look with TJ that I couldn't see. And as he sat down next to me wordlessly, the fire cascaded against him in a beautiful glow. With the stars, and the fire, and the look in his eye, it was everything I had been forcing myself to stop imagining. The same dreams that kept me awake at night, cursing my traitorous heart. The ones that caused me to re-read over our texts over and over again trying desperately to find something, anything, to fuel my hope.

"I think we need to talk," TJ said. I simply nodded as he turned to face me, our knees gently bumping together. "I've missed you. A lot." Those weren't the first words I expected to hear. "I never liked Kira. Especially not in that way. And I never wanted to replace you."

"I-I know. It just, it felt like that sometimes."

_You get everything, I get nothing. Is that not enough for you?_

"I can't blame you. Things were just... things were confusing. And scary. And being around Kira made me feel like I didn't need to face any of it. I could just push it all away and maybe things would get better but they didn't. And she just kept saying things that got in my head and that just made me want to retreat more. She didn't even need to be direct about it, she could just  _imply_ that she was figuring things out and it terrified me because if she could put it together, so could anyone else. So could you." I wanted to believe I knew what he was talking about. I wanted so badly for him to be saying what I thought he was, but my head wouldn't let me.

_But just know that it won't last. Your manipulative and cruel, and sooner or later, he'll realize it._

"And then, that happened. And I didn't know what to think about it," TJ said and I winced at the memory. Of throwing my water on Kira, of stomping off past TJ with tears in my eyes, of not registering that he was even there until much, much later. And realizing that he heard the whole thing.

_So if you care about him even a little bit, do him a favor and go away_ _. Because you don't deserve him._

"I know it doesn't make up for it all, but I'm really sorry." I didn't say anything, I just kept my gaze on the bench. Or more specifically, on our hands. His fingers were dangling over mine and I wasn't sure if he noticed. But the more they brushed against each other, I knew he had to. "So I've told you my side. Is there anything you want to tell me?" I sighed and tried to form words. "What happened?"

"I was jealous," I finally admitted. "I went to give you that shirt and I saw you on the swings with Kira. And it hurt, it hurt so badly, because that's our place. And it meant something to us. Or, to me, at least."

"You saw us at the swings," he whispered. "I didn't take her to there. She kept egging me on until I starting swinging with her. I never would have invited her there, because you're right. It's our place. And it does mean something to me. It's..." There may have only been a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity. "...it's the place I first realized I liked you." I finally looked into his eyes, the shock not registering on my face for a few seconds.

"What?"

"After the gun incident, I realized how awful it was not having you in my life. And when I finally found you there, when I looked into your eyes, I realized I never wanted to miss you again," he said. "And then Kira started implying that she knew, that I was being obvious, that everyone would figure it out and I panicked. I didn't want to lose you and I was afraid that if you knew how I felt about you that you wouldn't want to be around me anymore."

"That would never happen. I always want to be around you. I just couldn't be around her, and I thought after what I said to her that you'd hate me." I almost didn't notice him grabbing my hand gingerly as if asking for permission. But I didn't hesitate to grant it to him.

"I could never hate you. You're... amazing. And I'm lucky to have you in my life." We sat there, just staring at each other for a few moments.

"You know, it's funny." He raised his eyebrow in question. "I think that day on the swings was when I realized I liked you, too." All we could do was smile at each other as he gripped my hand more tightly. My heart was pounding against my chest. And that's when he glanced down to my lips. Not once, but twice. So I didn't try to stop myself. Slowly, I leaned in towards him. I closed my eyes and our lips touched, the rest of the world fading away for a few brief moments. 

"Wow," he whispered once we pulled away.

"So that's what it's supposed to feel like." He let out a gentle laugh as I moved over to sit closer to him, staring up at the sky. Almost instantly, he put his arm over my shoulder and started playing with my hair.

"This is nice," he said.

"It is." We watched the stars silently, his fingers calming against my head. It was the picture perfect moment and I couldn't have asked for anything better.

"So, what does this make us?" he asked.

"What do you want us to be?"

"I don't know about you, but I don't think I can go back to just being friends with you after tonight."

"I can't either." He kissed me on the head and I couldn't help but bite my lip.

"I have an idea. How about this weekend, while the sun is going down, we go back to the park and have a picnic. And I'll wear my summer outfit so we can finally have our costume day."

"That sounds perfect," I said, leaning against his chest. It was just the level of cheesiness I should have learned to expect from the basketball player, but it still made my heart skip a beat and made it hard to breathe. But in the best possible way. And in that moment, nothing else mattered but the two of us.

For once, the universe worked in my favor.


End file.
